Renal disease is difficult to detect, particularly in a form called acute renal failure. We are developing new methods to detect renal disease involving either urine or blood tests. We have seached for new genes that are up-regulated following injury in humans and animals. We had hoped that some of these genes would be good markers of disease. Unfortunately, these did not work out. We have started searching in serum using proteomic techniques. We have some promising preliminary results for a new blood test for a certain form of renal disease, but need to repeat the study.